Op. 12, Introduction and Variations on the air "Non più mesta accanto al fuoco." The theme is from Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" (Cinderella), produced at Rome during the Carnival season of 1817, and forms the concluding number of the work. Paganini again directs the violin to be tuned a semitone higher, writing the solo part in D, and the accompaniment in E flat. The Introduction, Adagio Cantabile, is another example of Paganini's pure Italian style of melody. The theme seems to have appealed to him—doubtless he witnessed the première of the opera—for the variations have a spontaneity and brilliance of their own. There are four variations, and a Finale full of dashing bravura.
Op. 13, Introduction and Variations on the air "Di tanti palpiti," from Rossini's first serious opera, "Tancredi," produced at Venice in 1813. Rossini is said to have taken the theme from a Greek Litany he heard sung in a church on one of the Islets of the Laguna, near Venice. A Signora Righetti, a singer, writing in 1823 (?), stated that there was no truth in the assertion. Be that as it may, "Di tanti palpiti" made the opera, and Paganini's variations extended its popularity. The introduction is an elaborate movement, the violin tuned a semitone higher, and the part written in A, with accompaniment in B flat. There are three variations, the second being almost throughout in harmonics, single and double, and excessively difficult. This piece is very rarely played.
Op. 14, Sixty Studies in Variation form, on the air known at Genoa as "Barucabà," for violin alone. This is one of the composer's latest works, and was written at Genoa in February 1835, and dedicated to Paganini's friend the Advocate, L. G. Germi. The theme is short, in simple ternary form, the opening sentence of four bars being repeated after the middle period of eight bars. The theme is in A major, Maestoso. The variations are studies upon various species of difficulties, and a special feature is the order of keys. Of the fifteen possible major keys, Paganini employs thirteen, and he is quite modern in the way in which he causes the one to succeed the other. Thus the second variation is in D, the third in B flat, the fourth in F sharp, and the fifth in D—in each case the drop of a major third or its enharmonic equivalent. Then he starts a new series, from D to B, thence to G, E, C, A flat, F, D flat, back to A. In 1835 such a sequence was very uncommon; even Beethoven, in his Variations, only has one such, in the Variations in F, Op. 34. The Variation form is again in full vogue; at this distance we can afford to be just in our estimate of Paganini's achievements. He was not a Beethoven, but his Variations are not to be despised.
Works without Opus Number.
Sonata in A major. As published in the collection of posthumous compositions, this Sonata is for violin, with pianoforte accompaniment. The piece consists of an Introduction, Theme, Three Variations and Coda, the term "Sonata" being employed quite in its primitive sense:—a piece to be played. The Introduction is only eight bars in length, ending with a short cadenza leading to the theme, Andantino, A major, two-four measure. The first part consists of two four-bar phrases, repeated; the second has a phrase extended, by a Codetta, to six bars, and ends with a repetition of the first phrase, with close in A. The first variation has a more florid version, in triplets, of the melody; the second begins with a simple form of the theme for the fourth string, and introduces harmonics; the third is a bravura movement, chiefly for staccato bowing in demisemiquaver passages. The coda, termed Finale, is made up of cadences, on a tonic pedal for eight bars. The accompaniment is easy. Messrs. Schott also publish the Sonata for violin, with accompaniment of violin and violoncello, very easy parts for these last.
Variazioni di bravura sopra Temi del Mosè di G. Rossini, per Violino sulla quanta corda, di Nicolo Paganini. This was originally for violin and orchestra. Berlioz has a reference to this piece, in which he states that Paganini employed the bass-drum with better effect than did Rossini himself in the accompaniment to the prayer, "Del tuo stellato soglio." Paganini placed the stroke of the drum on the syncopated beat to which the verbal accent was assigned, whereas Rossini gave the drum stroke on the first beat of the bar. Some one, complimenting Paganini upon his composition, added; "It must be confessed that Rossini furnished you a very beautiful theme." "That's very true," replied Paganini, "but he didn't invent my bang of the big drum." It is said that in this piece Paganini produced a tone that dominated the whole orchestra even in fortissimo passages.
The firm of Ricordi publish an arrangement, for string quintet, and for pianoforte accompaniment. The G string of the solo violin is raised to B flat, and the Adagio is played in C minor and major, while the accompaniment is in E flat minor and major. The strain in the minor key is played three times. The second time, the first eight bars are to be played an octave higher then the first time; the third in harmonics. The Introductory Adagio is the celebrated Prayer. Then follows a Tema, Tempo alla Marcia, E flat, four-four, the violin part in C. This is a different theme, and appears to be a paraphrase of part of the March and Chorus (in the Oratorio), "Hail, happy day!" There are three variations, and a short coda. Harmonics are sparingly introduced. Rossini's opera, "Mosè in Egitto," was produced at Naples in 1818, and was remodelled by the composer some years later, for performance at the Grand Opera, Paris (1827). It is not known when Paganini wrote his variations, but his themes were most probably taken from the first version of the opera.
Variazioni di Bravura per Violino sopra un tema originale con accompagnamento di Piano o Chitarra. The theme is that of the Twenty-fourth Caprice, from Op. 1, and the variations are the same, only the notation of the eighth is different. The accompaniment, for either guitar or pianoforte, is extremely simple. There is a short interlude (called Tutti in Ricordi's edition) of six bars to be played between the variations.
Introduzione e Variazioni sul Tema nel cor più mi sento per Violino solo di Nicolò Paganini. So runs the title in the edition published by Ricordi and Co. The theme is the duet in Paisiello's opera, La Molinara, which Beethoven also took as a subject for variations (in 1795). Ricordi's publication agrees in every particular with the version to be found in Guhr's treatise on Paganini's "Art of Playing the Violin," published in 1831—preface dated Frankfurt, November, 1829. Guhr[53] heard Paganini many times, closely watched his playing, and frequently conversed with him on the subject. This piece was written from memory, and is certainly a great accomplishment; but it can scarcely be regarded as an authentic version. The introduction is brilliant, the theme, Andante, G major, six-eight measure, is profusely ornamented, and each of the seven variations—No. 6 is in G minor, the others in G major—has some special form of virtuosity. In the third there are double shakes in harmonics, which Guhr explains. The last is in widespread ascending and descending arpeggios throughout. The theme and third variation are written on two staves, one for bowed melody, the other for left hand pizzicato.
That Paganini did not always play the piece in the form in which Guhr wrote it down, is proved by the existence of another manuscript, which is, perhaps, very little known. It was written by the late Mrs. Tom Taylor, who gave it to Mr. Alfred Burnett many years ago, and that gentleman has kindly permitted me to examine it. For this the violin is tuned a whole tone higher. The Introduction is altogether different, and the theme much less floridly embellished. The first variation corresponds to Guhr's No. 2, but the harmonics are not quite the same. In this the melody floats above tremolando chords. The second, in outline, resembles Guhr's No. 4, but whereas the latter has alternate natural notes and harmonics, Mrs. Taylor gives alternations of detached bowed notes and pizzicati. The third is like Guhr's No. 3, in that it has short figures in double notes, alternately for fundamental and harmonic sounds. Guhr's variation consists of twenty-five bars; Mrs. Taylor's of thirty-one, there being a short cadenza. The fourth resembles Guhr's No. 7 in the wide-spread arpeggios, but the harmonics are differently distributed, and the coda is not the same as in Guhr.[54]